Zelenskyy: When Russia wants kilometers of Ukrainian land, it's about lifelong power for them
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia's encroachment on Ukrainian lands is not about territory for them, but about lifelong power.
"It's obvious to everyone in the world that Russia has not just the most internationally recognized territory, but mostly undeveloped and neglected. All of Russia exists for the sake of Moscow and St. Petersburg, and if everything else were to fall apart, no one would even notice," he said in an evening address on Thursday.
"Therefore, when they want more kilometers of Ukrainian land, it's not about territory for them at all. It's about lifelong power—it's about subjugating a neighboring people, and we've clearly seen that nothing but destruction can be expected from Russia," the president stated.
He emphasized that this was seen not only by Ukrainians, but by "everyone in Europe, every one of Russia's neighbors—from Finland to Kazakhstan and Japan."
Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine's defense of its positions is the key task for Ukrainians and all partners. "The stronger we are in defense on the front lines, the more we can achieve in diplomacy, and the more actively the world will help us pressure Russia to end its war," he said.